Many systems and methods are currently available for replacing lost, removed, or diseased teeth. These systems and methods comprise the following basic steps. First, an implant is threaded into a cavity formed in the patient's jaw at the location of a lost tooth. The implant is then allowed to osseointegrate with the jaw bone. A technician will then fabricate a prosthetic tooth on an abutment member. The abutment member is then attached to the implant to mount the prosthetic tooth at its appropriate location. In this context, the abutment member forms the structural attachment between the prosthetic tooth and the implant, and the prosthetic tooth functionally and aesthetically replaces the exposed portion of the lost tooth.
It should be clear that this basic process can be employed when replacing a plurality of teeth as well as when replacing a single tooth. In the following discussion, the present invention is described in the context of a single tooth, but the principles of the present invention are equally applicable to the situations in which more than one tooth has been replaced.
In certain situations, conditions within the mouth result in an adverse change in the condition of the implant, the abutment member, and/or mouth around the implant and abutment member. When such conditions might be present, the need exists for systems and methods of reconditioning the implant and/or abutment member in situ to avoid or reverse such adverse changes.